Category Archives: Vitamins

In this article I’m going to share some of the leading thiamine deficiency symptoms, as well as a few really nifty things this nutrient can do.

Thiamine also goes by the name of vitamin B1 and it played a big role in the discovery of vitamins. After it was discovered that oranges and citrus fruits prevented scurvy with sailors, there was this other big disease plaguing people and do you know what that was? It starts with the letter B. It’s called beriberi.

It was revealed that removing the husks or outer layer of rice caused beriberi. This disease really hurt Japanese and Asian sailors since most of their diet was rice. Then a little later in time this substance received the name vitamin B1 or thiamine. Do you know why this vitamin was called B1? It is because it was the very first B vitamin discovered.

You might be wondered what is so bad about beriberi right? Beriberi can either affect the cardiovascular system known as wet beriberi or it can attack the nervous system and that is known as dry beriberi.

If beriberi affects the nervous system all kinds of problems can develop. According to Healthgrades.com There could be problems with walking, coordination, slurred speech, confusion or memory problems. Next a person could feel tingling in the hands or feet, uncontrolled eye movement and possibly vomiting.

If beriberi is wet it affects the cardiovascular system. Someone may experience fatigue, abnormal heart rhythms, shortness of breath, chest pains, coughing, leg pains and possibly swelling. The great thing is that all these symptoms can be eliminated if someone gets enough of this vitamin. However, if treatment is delayed what do you think is going to happen? Yep all these annoying problems could become permanent.

We know that thiamine is vital for life and that is why it’s called a vitamin. Apart from preventing beriberi it can reduce the chance of someone getting cataracts. According to Oregon State University a study of nearly 3,000 Australian men and women found that those with the highest level of vitamin B1 were 40% less likely to have cataracts than those with the lowest levels. It also does things like maybe prevent cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart failure and it can eliminate free radicals.

Supplements and alternative medicine can be confusing and even harmful. Make things really simple and give your body a HUGE edge by viewing a free video guide I created at http://utahtexans.com/.

In this article I’m going to share what niacin is used for and what it really does. Niacin is often called vitamin B3 due to it being the third B vitamin discovered. Throughout history there was this disease known as pellagra that would cause problems such as diarrhea, mental problems and scaly skin sores. It doesn’t sound very fun does it?

Then in 1915 a physician named Joseph Goldeberger did some experimenting and discovered he could actually create this disease in people by altering their diets. It turns out when someone doesn’t get enough vitamin B3 in their diet they get this disease.

The human body has many uses for niacin. One of the primary ways it’s used is to break down food and transfer that into energy for the body. This is why a deficiency in this substance usually creates fatigue in someone.

Next your body uses this nutrient to help cells communicate. You might be wondering why cells even need to communicate right? As humans we are survival machines and we have something known as the fight or flight response, which uses cellular communication. This means if you were in a jungle and saw a giant lion come at you every cell in your body would be in high alert to give you a chance of not dying.

Another way cells use this vitamin is to aid in the growth and health of cells. This is important because do you know what a damaged cell causes? Apart from wrinkles in your skin it could cause cancer and possibly many other ailments.

Also vitamin B3 plays a part in keeping blood pressure at a normal rate. This is why according to the Journal of American College of Cardiology they looked at 11 different studies with 10,000 people and concluded that this nutrient does in fact lower the chance of cardiovascular disease. This not only means it helps prevent heart disease and strokes, but improves so many other areas of health that better blood flow can help with.

Another nifty benefit to this substance is that it can help with arthritis. There was a study done by “Inflammatory Research” that found that patients with osteoarthritis experienced better joint movement and lower inflammation after 3 months of taking this vitamin. Other possible nifty health benefits of this vitamin include improved memory, lovemaking improvement, a motion sickness remedy and insomnia.

You can get niacin from a dietary supplement such as with a multivitamin or eating fish, chicken, turkey, peanuts and green peas.

To sum everything up niacin is used to…
1. Break down food into energy
2. Prevent pellagra
3. Help cells health
4. Help cells communicate
5. Control blood pressure

Supplements and alternative medicine can be confusing and even harmful. Make things really simple and give your body a HUGE edge by viewing a free video guide I created at http://utahtexans.com/.

Today I’m going to talk about what biotin is used for and how it helps someone. This nutrient also goes by the name of vitamin H or B7. The B vitamins are sort of like a big family and they are all water-soluble. This means that they get flushed out of someone’s system daily and it’s easier to be deficient in them.

The human body has many uses for this stuff, but a big one is to help break down food. Proteins get broken down into amino acids and carbohydrates turn into glucose. When someone has adequate B7 levels they can digest food quickly and this is a used thing. You don’t want food sitting in your stomach too long because believe it or not a funky smell can actually come from your skin. Another really cool thing about better digestion is that it may help with weight loss, but this is just a theory and hasn’t been proven.

More used news is that it can help with another huge problem in society and that is diabetes. According to Langone Medical Center 447 participants with type 2 diabetes took biotin and chromium for 90 days. The result was that both HBA and fasting glucose levels were reduced and there were no adverse side effects.

Also this nutrient can improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In the January 2003 issue of the “Journal of Human Hypertension” a study shares that a reduced intake of B vitamins such as biotin and folic acid increases the risk of hypertension in South African children.

Another way we use this vitamins is for nail and hair growth. This also means that if someone doesn’t get enough of this nutrient they could suffer from hair loss and brittle nails. In the U.S. National Library of Medicine 45 patients with brittle nails were given a supplement with this vitamin and in 6 months 63% of the patients showed clinical improvement, while the rest showed no change.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center as many as 90% of American diets are low in this vitamin. You can get biotin through eating foods such as eggs, fruits, vegetables and nuts. You can also take a dietary supplement.

To sum everything up here are 5 ways humans can use this vitamin.

-It breaks down food
-It could help with diabetes
-Lowers blood pressure
-Helps with cholesterol
-Improves hair and nail growth

Supplements and alternative medicine can be confusing and even harmful.
Make things really simple and give your body a HUGE edge by viewing a free video guide I created at http://utahtexans.com/.

Today I’m going to share a few of the major selenium rewards and what this substance really is. Perhaps you have seen selenium inside a dietary supplement or on a food label and wondered what it is. Selenium is a trace element and this means humans only need a very small amount of it. It’s in food such as nuts, seafood and whole wheat bread.

One of the big reasons your body needs this trace element is because it regulates thyroid hormones. If your body is one giant factory, which organ do you think would be the CEO? It would be the brain and all the workers would be cells. Hormones are almost like managers that send messages from the brain to the workers. The thyroid is a gland located near the front of your neck and creates hormones.

If someone doesn’t consume enough selenium in could cause the thyroid gland to not work correctly. This could create a chain reaction resulting in tons of other problems. A few examples of this could be irritability, vision problems, muscle weakness, fatigue, sleeping problems, dry skin and the list continues. As you can see this is a big reason why you want to consume this trace element.

A second benefit of selenium is that it improves blood flow and lowers the chance of a heart attack. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at 25 clinical studies and concluded that this element reduces the chance of heart disease. In observational studies a 50% increase in selenium was connected with a 24% lower risk of heart disease.

If that wasn’t enough this mineral has also been connected with lowering the chance of cancer. According to the American Cancer Society areas of the world where selenium levels in the soil are high, death rates from cancer are much lower than areas where this isn’t that much of this mineral. Plus according to the American Cancer Society a review of 385 studies found that people who took selenium supplements live slightly longer than those that do not. Other antioxidant supplements like vitamins A,C or E had no effect.

Next up it can help with asthma. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center a study with 24 people with asthma that took selenium supplements for 14 weeks experienced fewer symptoms than people who took a placebo. Lastly this mineral fights free radicals, inflammation, boosts the immune system and possibly eliminates dandruff.

To sum everything up the leading selenium rewards is that it regulates the thyroid, lowers the chance of heart disease, helps the body defend against cancer, enables a person to live longer, helps with asthma and more.

Maybe you have seen selenium in a dietary supplement or on a food label and wondered what it does. This article shares the major uses for it and how it’s beneficial.

Supplements and alternative medicine can be confusing and even harmful.
Make things really simple and give your body a HUGE edge by viewing a free video guide I created at http://utahtexans.com/.

Today I’m going to share with you the leading MSM advantages and what this substance really is. MSM was first discovered around World War 2 and is a sulfur compound. You can find it in dietary supplements, fruits, vegetables, grains and some meat products. Also it is seen in some skin-care products, but according to Langone Medical Center it isn’t absorbed through the skin. Since sulfur is found in nearly every cell, it plays an important role when it comes to how the body functions.

Have you ever heard of something called glutathione? It’s an antioxidant and some people feel it’s the most important one. The great thing is that the human body actually creates it. Unfortunately, toxins from the environment, food, stress, aging, infections and medicines all deplete its supply. Without sulfur from MSM your body can’t create this antioxidant and this is a big reason why you want to take MSM.

Another way MSM is very helpful is that it can help reduce the pain of arthritis and joint inflammation. In the U.S. National Library of Medicine 50 people with knee arthritis were split into two groups. One group received 3 grams of MSM a day and the other group received a placebo pill. After 3 months the result was that the group that received this nutrient experienced a significant decrease in the pain of their knee. Also this substance improved performing daily activities using their knee.

Next up MSM can help with allergies. In the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 55 patients with allergic rhinitis were given 2,600 MG a day. Within just 7 days it was reported that the patients experienced significant reduced upper and total respiratory symptoms. Two weeks later lower respiratory symptoms were significantly improved. More good news is that few side effects were associated with MSM and the patients energy levels were improved by the second week.

If that wasn’t enough this nutrient can help the skin, hair and nails. MSM provides sulfur needed to make collagen, which can contribute to the strength of hair and nails. It has anti-inflammatory capabilities that can help the skin. There was a study done at the San Gallicano Dermatologic Instutute in Rome that showed it could help with Rosacea. Rosacea is a skin condition where someone’s skin turns a red color. 46 patients in the study either took a placebo topical medicine or a combination of silymarin and MSM. Silymarin is another name for milk thistle, which is a herbal medicine. After 30 days the conclusion was that MSM and silymarin showed significant improvements in skin redness, itching, hydration and papules, which are solid raised areas on the skin.

To sum everything up the leading MSM advantages is that it helps make glutathione, helps with arthritis, allergies, improves the hair, nails and skin.

Supplements and alternative medicine can be confusing and even harmful. Make things really simple and give your body a HUGE edge by viewing a free video guide I created at http://utahtexans.com/.

Today I’m going to share with you the major inostol hidden dangers and what it is known for. Your body runs on something called glucose, which is created from carbohydrates. Inostol is a carbohydrate that is also created from glucose. Some people believe this substance is apart of the B vitamin group, but others disagree because humans can create it, plus it doesn’t have a nitrogen element.

Apart from our bodies creating this substance, it can also be found in certain foods as well as in a dietary supplement. The reason it’s in a dietary supplement is because it can positively impact the health of humans in a variety of ways. For starters it impacts how nerves communicate with each other. Nerves enable someone to walk, feel objects and hold objects. It also has a role in the health of cell membranes, which is the outer protective layer of them. Due to cancer having to do with a damaged cell and inositol affects cell health, some people feel this nutrient can prevent or treat cancer, but it hasn’t been proven.

It also plays a role when it comes to how the body converts glucose into carbohydrates, processing nutrients and improving brain function. From all the areas that this nutrient affects you can see how it might be able to help with certain ailments and why it’s sold as a supplement. Like all things in life there are risks, but the good news is that with this substance they are fairly minimal.

Just like with any dietary supplement your body could not like it. This could create a nauseous feeling of wanting to throw up and an upset stomach. There is also a chance that when someone takes it they could experience diarrhea as the body attempts to eliminate the substance. One of the more serious hidden dangers is that it may cause someone to feel dizzy. As you can imagine if someone is driving a motor vehicle being dizzy isn’t the ideal state to be in.

Headaches could also be created by inositol. Since it’s a type of sugar a person may get a sugar rush from injected a high dose from a supplement. Some people have reported disturbances to their sleeping routine, a person may experience their skin being more red, hot and itchy. This is due to histamine levels increasing, which is an allergic reaction.

If someone is pregnant or nursing they shouldn’t take inositol. Lastly, there are certain ingredients in dietary supplements that could be dangerous. One example is titanium dioxide, which is used in sunscreen to prevent skin cancer. Some research has noted that it’s a possible carcinogen when injected.

To sum everything the leading inositol hidden dangers include nausea, an upset stomach, diarrhea, dizziness, headaches, insomnia and red or itchy skin.

Supplements and alternative medicine can be confusing and even harmful. Make things really simple and give your body a HUGE edge by viewing a free video guide I created at http://utahtexans.com/.

Today I’m going to share with you the leading l tyrosine health advantages and why it’s important. L tyrosine is an amino acid and this means that it’s used to build things in the body. You need amino acids to make and repair cells, tissues, hair and even nails. What makes l tyrosine so unique is that it’s used to make neurotransmitters in the brain region.

Think of neurotransmitters as little messengers in your body. They tell your heart to beat, your lungs to breath in oxygen, your stomach to digest food. As you can see they are somewhat important. Without these neurotransmitters your body will be out of balance and will not work very well.

This is why many of the benefits of this amino acid have to do with cognitive health. One problem that is hurting kids and even adults is attention deficit disorder or ADD for short. Don’t start to daydream just yet, because people with this problem have trouble focusing, they are hyperactive and sometimes act without thinking. The wisest people in the health industry are not sure why this happens, but many predict neurotransmitters are a root cause of the problem.

Since this amino acid is directly related to the health of these neurotransmitters you can see how they help. Unfortunately clinical trials have not proven that l tyrosone helps people with this condition, but there is a chance that it could. Do not pass off this amino acid just yet because there are some studies that show it helps with mental alertness. I know it is sort of strange how studies show it helps with mental alertness, but not with attention deficit disorder right?

According to the NYU Langone Medical Center there was a study involving 20 U.S. Marines. Half of the Marines were given 15 grams of l tyrosine twice a day and the other half received a placebo pill. The result was that the marines that took the amino acid had better alertness than the other group. Some people also claim that it can help with depression. The bad news is that more research is needed to conclude it actually helps, but it could.

To sum everything up the top l tyrosine health advantages is that it makes neurotransmitters. It could help with attention deficit disorder, but more studies are needed. There is some evidence it helps with mental alertness. Lastly some people feel it helps with depression, but more studies are also needed to confirm it works.

Supplements and alternative medicine can be confusing and even harmful. Make things really simple and give your body a HUGE edge by viewing a free video guide I created at http://utahtexans.com/.

Today I’m going to share with you the leading BCAA dangerous effects as well as what it’s used for. There is something called amino acids that the body needs in order to build and repair organs, tissues, muscles, hair and even nails. Some of these amino acids you can actually create in the human body and there are some that you can’t.

The amino acids that you can’t create are called essential and you have to get them through food. There are around 9 or 10 of them. BCAA are the essential amino acids L-Leucine, L-Valine and L-Isoleucine.
They are used to prevent muscle breakdown and improve a person’s fitness goals. These essential amino acids are frequently sold as a dietary supplement and there are some risks with taking them.

One of the largest dangers has to do with negative interactions between supplements and prescription drugs. This is why if you’re taking any prescription drug it best to let a qualified physician know what you’re doing. They probably will not object to it, but it’s best to be safe.

Pregnant or breastfeeding women should not take this supplement. Not enough is known about these amino acids when it comes to interacting with a developing human being. Of course one supplement a pregnant woman really should take is a multivitamin.

If someone has a specific medical condition they also should be cautious of this supplement. Someone with chronic alcoholism shouldn’t take BCAA because it can really damage the liver and the brain. If someone has branched-chain ketoaciduria also known as maple syrup urine disease they shouldn’t take this supplement. Can you guess why the disease is called maple syrup urine? It’s because a person’s urine smells like maple syrup.

Another disease that doesn’t match well with this dietary supplement is ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Lou Gehrig was a famous American Baseball player that helped get ALS really well known. BCAA can increase the chance of lung failure as well as dying in patients diagnosed with ALS.

An additional danger with BCAA along with any dietary supplement is that your body may just not like it. There is a small chance a person could experience an upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea and an allergic reaction. Some people also experience unexpected fatigue as well as a loss of coordination, which can make it dangerous to operate a motor vehicle. Lastly, if someone is about to have surgery it’s best not to use this dietary supplement because it can interfere with blood sugar. WebMD recommends for someone to stop using this supplement 2 weeks before surgery.

To sum everything up the leading BCAA dangerous effects is that it negatively interacts with prescription drugs. They shouldn’t be taken if someone is pregnant, breastfeeding, about to have surgery, have the ailments ALS, maple syrup urine disease or have chronic alcoholism. A person could experience an upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, an allergic reaction, fatigue and a loss of coordination.

Supplements and alternative medicine can be confusing and even harmful. Make things really simple and give your body a HUGE edge by viewing a free video guide I created at http://utahtexans.com/.

Today I’m going to share with you the top bromelain advantages, what this nutrient really is and how to get it. This substance comes from the juices of the weird, funky looking fruit known as a pineapple. Not many people know this, but apart from its unusual taste the plant does have a reputation for being used as a medicine.

Being the curious people humans are we started to tinker with the pineapple and a gentleman named Vicente Marcanol discovered bromelin inside it. Now you may see this substance being sold as a supplement or even in a multivitamin and wondered what it was or if you should buy it. One of its popular uses involves surgery recovery and healing wounds.

A study by the NYU Langone Medical Center involved 160 women who received surgical cuts after childbirth. Some women were given 40 mg of bromelain 4 times a day and the other group received a placebo. 90% of the patients taking this nutrient experienced excellent or good responses compared to 44% in the placebo group.

In the back of your nose you have something known as sinuses. The truth is that humans breath more harmful stuff than any time in the past and some of this stuff can get trapped back there. This creates an inflammatory response known as sinusitis, which can make it hard to breath and it’s annoying. There is some evidence that this pineapple substance can help with this condition. According to the University of Michigan Health System in a double-blind trial, 87% of patients who took this substance reported good to excellent results.

Another ailment that troubles many people is arthritis. This is when a person’s joints get damaged and they experience trouble moving around and pain. The main part of the pain is with inflammation, and this substance may be able to reduce it. In one study referenced at the U.S. National Library of Medicine researchers looked at 28 patients with moderate or severe rheumatoid or osteoarthritis. Using this nutrient at varying doses had positive clinical effects in 18 of the patients.

To sum everything up the top bromelain advantages would be healing an injury, helping with sinusitis and with arthritis. This substance also improves the immune system, possibly fighting cancer, it helps with cholesterol and the heart. You can get this nutrient through a dietary supplement or by eating lots of pineapples.

Supplements and alternative medicine can be confusing and even harmful. Make things really simple and give your body a HUGE edge by viewing a free video guide I created at http://utahtexans.com/.

Today I’m going to be answering the question how much vitamin D should I take, as well why you really should care. Some health professionals believe that as much as 50-75% of the U.S. population is deficient in vitamin D or what some people call the sunshine vitamin. Worldwide perhaps a billion people are lacking in it.

So who cares right? Well a deficiency has been linked to all kinds of health problems. This includes heart problems, weak bones, cancer as well as making it easier for a virus to make a home in your body.

Traditionally many people got this vitamin through the sun, but do you see a problem with this? Yea, thanks to living in a modern society more people work indoors, drive cars and watch TV.

To make matters even worse it’s not easy to get through food. This is why a supplement can really be a great choice.

Overdosing on vitamin D can occur, but it’s really rare. Someone would have to take several thousand international units or IU for several months in a row to overdose. This is much higher than any supplement would recommend. The symptoms of an overdose could include nausea, headaches, frequent urination and the most serious condition would be kidney problems.

When it comes to the ideal dose of vitamin D not everyone agrees, and the debate is still going on. The National Institutes of Health feel that adults should receive 200 IU daily. If someone is between 50 to 70 years of age then the dosage should be increased to 400 IU daily. Lastly if a person makes it to 70 years of age then they should get 600 IU every day.

Some people feel this dosage should be increased like the famous American TV Dr. called Dr. OZ. He feels that adults should take 1,000 IU every day. Another very influential doctor called Dr. Weil recommends 2,000 IU every single day. Also the vitamin D Council recommends that healthy adults take 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily as well as Boston University Medical Center.

Considering you need at least 5,000 IU of vitamin D to somewhat have a chance of an overdose taking 1,000 or 2,000 IU shouldn’t pose a problem for many people.

Next comes finding a good supplement to get this vitamin D. Contrary to what you may believe not all vitamins and supplements are the same. More bad news is that it’s easy for companies to make crappy products that can actually harm people.

To make shopping for dietary supplements simpler and easier I have created a video guide on the topic. This guide goes over 10 warning signs of a risky product, what to take for certain medical problems, herbal remedies and even some crazy alternative health ideas that actually work.

Oh, and before I forget this guide is completely free so you don’t have any good reason not to at least learn more about it. You can check out this guide by clicking on the link free guide to herbs and dietary supplements.